Rubber-sole shoe



G. FERGUSON.

RUBBER SOLE suns.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, 1917 Patented Aug. 3,- 1920.

R m w w GEORGE FERGUSON, OF WOLLAS'ION, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF

JERSEY. I

To all whom it mag concern: V p y Be it known that I, 'GEORGE 'FnRoosoN, I a citizen of the United stateskresldmg at iVollaston, in the county of orfolkand State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Rubber-Sole Shoes, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on. the drawings indicating like partsin the several figures. I t r F The present invention relates'to improvementsin shoes and to improvements in shoe soles, particularly vulcanized rubber soles; The term rubber as herein used is not in tended to be limited to a material the major part'of which is rubber, but is usedherein generically to include various rubber con-- taining materials such as the so-called fiber soles now used extensively, as well as other similar materials. r 1 Objects of the-invention are to eliminate various disadvantages incident to the employement of rubber soles as heretofore made, and generally to improve the construction of rubbersole shoesto the end that rubber sole shoes of superior appearance and fitting qualities may be produced.

ith these objects in view and in accordance'with an important feature of the invention, the illustrated sho'ehasa vulcan. ized rubber sole characterized by a heel seat portion the outer surface of which is molded to provide a continuously-converted heel scat substantially complementary to the concaved heel seat of a previously completed heel and arranged to terminate a distance within the periphery of the heel seat portion of the shoe whereby theheel seat portion of the shoefis concealed by the heel when is attached to the shoe, the-margin of the heel may be seated upon; the firm foundation afforded by the overlasted shoe upper and counter materials and a substan: tially rigid attachment of the heel to the shoe'niaybe' effected. Also with the use-of a rubber sole having a heel seat molded in this manner it is unnecessary to perform the usualhand heel fitting o eration as with the rubber soles now avai able and a more accurately shaped and uniform heel seat is obtainable. 7 I

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the upper p surface of the sole UBBER-sou: SHOE.

Specificationot Letters latenc.

PAIIERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application flled December 11, 1917 Serial 1%. 206,688.

herein illustrated is molded so as to produce a marginally extending shoe upper attach ingelementthe thickness of which at its base is substantially less than the thickness of the upper attaching element above its base. In the'illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention the u per attaching element consists of an upstan mg sewing rib having a substantially vertical outer wall and an-undercut or downwardl and outwardly inclined inner wall. W 1en attaching a shoe upper to the sole by means of a sewing 'r-ib of the illustrated construction, the channel guide of the sewing machine which engages the inner wall of the rib is necting the shoe upper to the sewing rib is properly located at the base'of the sewing rib. Consequently a tighter and, stronger inseam is obtained and the operator is assisted in manipulating the shoe during the sewing operation.

.-A further. feature of the invention consists in a vulcanized rubber sole having a series of radially disposed alternate ribs and grooves formed on the'upper surface of the sole with the outer ends of the ribs and grooves terminating a distance inwardly from the periphery of the sole. By thus leaving a narrow surface on the sole'outside of the ribs and grooves it is possible to'trim and buff the edge of the sole without producing a ragged and broken sole edge face and afneater and better appearing sole edge is obtainable. v

v Still another feature of the invention resides in providing a molded and vulcanized rubber sole for turn shoes with a stitch receiving element along its upper marginal surface and with means vulcanized in its shank portion additional to the rubber of the sole adapted to retain a longitudinally curved shank stiffening member in position for it to maintainthe shank portion of the sole in longitudinal conformation therewith. This shank stiffener retaining means is preferably incorporated in the shank portion of the sole so as to leave no indication of its upper marginal surface of the sole a sewing rib to which to attach the shoe upper and molding into the shank portion of the sole ashank stiffener receiving means which will not obstruct the turning of the shoe right side out during its manufacture. thus produced is employed in making the shoeby a procedure which consists in as, sembli'ng' the sole and the shoe upper inside out upon a last and sewing the upper to the sewing rib on the sole, turning the shoe right side out before incorporating the shank stiffener in the shoe,' applying the shank stiffener to the previously prepared stiffener receiving means and thereafter relasting and completing the shoe-making operations on the shoe. As herein illustrated,

this ishank stiffener engaging member comprises a wire stud the base of which is anchored in the sole between its upper and lower surfaces, the head projecting abovethe upper surface of thesole and adapted to be attached to a shank stiffener incorporated in the shoe. 7 Thisattachment serves to hold the shank of" the sole against the under side of the'shank stiffener and pre' vent it from returning to its normally flat trated in Fig. 1 and illustrating the application of the heel to the shoe;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view partly in section illustrating the use of the shank stiffener engaging member, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of' the sole through the forepart and illustrating the construction of the sewing rib of the sole and the stitch impressed formation of theextending edge of the sole. 7

For purposes of illustration the invention is herein shown as embodied in a vulcanized rubber sole which is applicable to the manufacture of a turn shoe although-it is apparent that the'invention may be employed to advantage in soles for shoes of other types.

Referring to the drawings, the sole 2 consists of a vulcanized rubber compound body hereinafter generically referred to as rubber, molded to the general shape of a sole through the forepart and shank. This rubber body is provided with a sewing rib 4 on its upper surface to enable a shoe upper to be attached to the sole by single faced The sole the sole may be provided with the sewing rib 4 by molding the sole at the time the sole is vulcanized in'suitably shaped dies which are formed and arranged to raise a portion of the rubber and fabric :6 above laterally adjacent surfaces-of the sole, the raised portion extending marginally at the sole and constituting the'sewing rib.- It is not only exceedingly important butalso difficult to locate theinseam stitches at the base of a sewing rib in which the innerand outer wallsare substantially vertical as heretofore provided. If the stitches 5 are not so located a weakseam is secured and the upper is not drawn into the angle between the outer wall 'of the rib and the feather of the sole with the proper amount of tension, This is'due to a certain extent to-the fact the operator is apt'to lower the shoe be-.

low its proper position relatively to the sewing needle and other operating instrumentalities. With this in mind the sewing rib 4 of the sole has an outer substantially vertical wall 8 against which the upper may properly be tensioned, and an inner wall 10 which is inclined upwardly and inwardly so as to present an undercut surface; Preferably this is done by thickening the top portion of the sewing rib so as to produce a broad flat top rather than decreasing the thickness of the sewing rib at the base so that'the strength of the between-substance which constitutes the base of the sewing rib is not impaired or weakened by the inclined inner wall of the rib. In the operation of securing the shoe upper tothe sole, the channel guide 12'of the sewing machine travels in the angle formed by the inclined wall 10 and the adjacent upper surface of the sole, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and by rea- .son of the inclined wall the channel guide tends to maintain the shoe firmly against the guide without any special care on the part of the operator. Consequently the shoe is maintained in such position that thesevera-l sewing'instrumentalities, as the awl and the needle indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, are enabled to form the stitches or inseam along a line located at the extremebase of the sewing rib 4. Thus the shoe upper may .be drawn under greater tension and with more accuracy into the angle between the outer vertical wall of the rib 4 and the feather of the sole than where the inseam is formed high on the sewing rib, as results when the operator fails to hold the shoe so that the channel guide 12 travels along the extreme base of the rib. The inclined inner wall 10 of the sewing rib is equivalent to the channel provided in a leather turn sole so that the rubber sole ofthe present construction may be used during the sewing operation'with the same facility as a leather shoe. I

In order to providefa neat finish and appearance for the-edge of the sole which projects beyond the sides of the shoe upper, the upper feather surface of the sole 2 is provided with a series of radially disposed alternate ribs and grooves 16. These ribs and grooves, which may conveniently be formed in the sole 2 during 'itsmolding and vulcanization, correspond somewhat to the stitched'impression formed on the feather surface of a leather sole shoe and serve to accentuate the crease between the extension of the sole and the upper so as to give the appearance of a sewed shoe as distinguished from the more or less heavy appearance characteristic of a vulcanized rubber compound shoe. As shown in Fig. 4:, the alternate ribs and grooves 16 terminate a short distance inwardly from the periphery 18 of the sole at their outer ends and extend to the sewing rib at their inner ends. By terminating the ribs and grooves or corruga tions 16 within the periphery of the sole a sufiicient margin of the sole remains to enable its edge faceto be cleaned and buffed during the finishing operations on the shoe without producing a ragged and broken edge face on the sole. It has been found practically impossible properly to buff the edge face of the sole 2 so as to maintain the desired well defined termination of the sewing'ribs and grooves. Moreover, in molding and vulcanizing a sole in which the ribs and grooves 16 extend clear to the edge of the sole a fin of rubber material is formed along the upper edge of the sole, which fin cannot readily be removed without trimming away a considerable part of the edge face of the sole which involves an unnecessary amount of labor and expense.

The heel end 20 of the sole, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, instead of being of suflicient size entirely to cover the heel seat of the shoe being made is so formed as to terminate. a uniform distance within the peri%hery of the heel seat while presenting a su cient surface to offer a firm foundation upon which to seat the heel. Also, the heel seat end of the sole is molded so as to present a surface '22 which is uniformly convexed transversely and rearwar dly to its edge to fit within the concaved heel seat of a previously completed heel 24. In the attachment of a previously completed heel to the shoe, as, for example, a wooden heel, it is desirable that the margin'25 of the heel which comprises the sole.

' shoe formed by the overlasted portion of the counter and shoe upper materials without an intervening layer of rubber material One reason for this is that wooden heels are usually of considerable height and, therefore, need as substantial and firm foundation and attachment to the shoe as possible, which, of course is not possible with a heel seat formed of rubber material. Also wood heels are invariably covered with the same material that constitutes the shoe upper or they have a contrasting finish and the neat and stylish appearance of the completed shoe demands a continuity of the finish of both the heel and the shoe upper. The heel seat portion 20 of the sole illustrated projects rearwardly fromthe shank portion of the sole 2 and is of a width to produce a shoulder 28 at either side of the'sole at substantially the heel breast line. The outer surface of the heel seat is continuously and uniformly concaved so as to correspond to the convex heel seat surface ofthe wood heel, as illustrated in Fig. 2, such heels invariably having concaved heel scat surface to enable them properly to be attached to the shoe, These shoulders extend inwardly at substantially right angles to the edge of the sole to the projecting heel seat portion and serve to produce a neat joint between the termination of the sole at the heel breast line and the heel. Also, in use the shoulders constitute abutments to determine the relative location of the heel on the shoe during the heel attaching operation. Heretofore in attaching a wood heel to a shoe having a rubber sole, a hand heel fitting operation was necessary and this hand operation was not entirely satisfactory because the accuracy of the work varied considerably and there was no uniformity in the treatment of the sole to receive the heel in the different shoe factories, some procedures being entirely to eliminate the heel end of the sole, while others cut away various portions of the sole to allow the heel to be placed on the shoe.

It will be seen that by providing a heel seat portion for the sole which is of an area to terminate within the outer edge of the heel seat, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the margin of the heel is enabled to seat itself directly on the margin 26 of the heel seat of the shoeand completely inclose the project ing heel portion of the sole, but at the same time the sole corresponds to the concaved contour ofthe major portion of the heel seat of the heel and thusoffers a firm seat for the heel throughout. By reason of the heel seat 20 being shaped to cover the major portion of the heel seat of a previously completed heel and of the heel seat .of the shoe a strong and firm attachment of the heel to the sole may be secured inasmuch as the heel seat portion 20 serves to provide sufficient material to receive the heel attaching -.na ils as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings- As such a heel seat is initially molded on thesole 1t insures absolute .accuracy and uniformity.

The shank portion of the sole has a'shank stiffener engaging member 32 projecting above the upper surface of the sole,.as'illu'strated in Fig.1, this :member being adapted to engage a longitudinally curved shank stiffener member 34 inthe shoe so as to hold the sole against the under side of the stiffener, and maintain it in the longitudinal conformation thereof. embodiment of the invention this stiffener engaging member-.32 consists of a loop of,

wire the base portion 38 of which is embedded in the sole so as not to appear on the tread surface of the sole, while the head portion of the member projects above the upper surface of the sole. This projecting portion 32, in use, is passed through a hole 39 provided in the longitudinally curved metal shank stiffener 34c and bent rearwardly so as to lie upon the upper surface of the stiffener as shown in Fig. 3. A filling member 40 is subsequently placed upon the inside of the shoe so as to cover the stiffener engaging member 32 and provide a smooth interior for the shoe. Owing to the character of rubber of which the sole 2 is composed and also to the fact that the sole is substantially flat before being applied to the shoe, thesole tudinal conformation after the shoe is removed from the last. As shown, a single shank engaging member '32 is provided which is located substantially centrally of the shank portion of the heel, although several of these-members may be employed to engage a shank stiffener at a plurality of points in its length.

With a sole such as hereinabove described it is possible to produce a vulcanized rubber sole shoe having a neater appearance and better fitting qualities than was possible, with the rubber soles heretofore available and eliminate certain disadvantages heretofore countenanced in the employment of vulcanized rubber soles in the manufacture of the shoe. V

In the illustrated portion.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is e 1. As an article of manufacture, an outer sole for shoes comprising a vulcanized rubr.

ber bodymolded to sole contour through the forepart and the shanklan'd having a heel seat portion the outersurface of which is molded to provide a continuously convened seat substantially complementary to the continuously concaved heel seat of a previously distance within the periphery of the heel.

seat of a lasted shoe and. having its outer surface uniformly convened transversely and rearwardly to the edge of the heel seat 7 3. As an article of manufacture, a sole for shoes comprising a vulcanized rubber body molded to sole contour through the forepart and the shank and a heel seatportion of less width than the shank of the adjacent sole to form a shoulder on either side of the sole at he termination of the shank for engagement with the breast of a previously completed heel and having its outer surface con- 'vexed uniformly and continuously to the periphery so as to engage the uniformly concaved heel seat of a previously completed heel.

4; As an article of manufacture a vulcanized rubber sole provided with a marginally extendingstitch receiving rib on its upper side for the attachment of a shoe upper and having a heel seat portion shaped and arranged to terminate a uniform distance within-the periphery of the heel seat of a lasted shoe and to en age the reater oart of the heel seat surface of a previously com pleted heel when attached to the shoe.

5. As an article of manufacture, a sole for shoes comprisinga vulcanized rubber body molded to sole contour through the forepart and the shank, and having an integral heel seat portion formed and arranged to fit within the concaved heel seat of a previously formed heel and extend over the major pore tion of the heel seat of the shoe to receive fastening means for permanently attaching the said heel to the sole and to provide a shoulder on either side of the sole at substantially the breast line to engage the breast of the said heel. V

6. As an article of manufacture, a sole for turn shoes consisting of a vulcanized rubber body portion having its upper surface molded to produce a marginally. extending sewing rib presenting a substantially vertical outer wall adjacent to the feather of the sole and an undercut inner *all. I

7. As an article of manufacture, a sole for turn shoes consisting of a vulcanizediubher body portion having its upper surface molded to produce a marginally. extending sewing element the thickness of which at its base is less than the thickness of the sewing element above the base thereof.

8. As an article of manufacture, a sole for turn shoes consisting of a vulcanized rubber l)0( y'portion having its upper surface molded to produce a rib projecting above laterally adjacent surfaces of the sole, said rib being shaped to provide a ledge overhanging the base of the'rib along its inner edge.

9. As an article'of'manufacture, a sole for turn shoes consisting of a vulcanized rubber body and a layer of fabric material se cured by vulcanization to the upper side of the rubber body with a portion projecting above laterally adjacent surfaces of the sole to produce a reinforced sewing rib the inner wall of which is inclined. downwardly and outwardly toward the outer wall of the sewing rib.

10. As an article of manufacture, a sole for turn shoes consisting of a vulcanized rubber body portion having its upper surface molded to produce a marginally extending sewing rib characterized by a decreasing transverse thickness of the sewing rib from the top of the sewing rib to its base.

11. As an article of manufacture, a vu1- canized rubber sole provided with a series of radially disposed alternate ribs and grooves extending along the upper marginal surface of the sole, the said alternate ribs and grooves terminating at their outer ends inwardly of the periphery of the sole.

12. As an article of manufacture, a vulcanized rubber sole provided with a marginally extending stitch receiving rib on its upper side and having a plurality of transversely disposed indentations formed on the surface of the sole outside of the stitch receiving rib, the said indentations being terminated within the periphery of the sole so as to leave an unbroken edge face on the sole.

13. As an article of manufacture, a vulcanized rubber outsole provided with a shank stiffener engaging member attached to the outsole in the shank substantially midway between its edges and so as to leave no 1nd1cat1on of the attachment on the tread surface of the outsole and having a portion in the shank portion of the sole betweenits upper and lower surfaces so as not to appear on the lower surface and having a portion projecting above the upper surface of the outsole in the shank adapted to be attached to a longitudinally curved shank stiffener member.

15. As an article of manufacture, shoe comprising a vulcanized rubber outsole provided with a stitch receiving rib on its upper side, a shoe upper permanently attached to the stitch receiving rib of the outsole, a longitudinally curved shank stiffener member associated with the shank of the outsole, and means additional to the rubber embedded between the upper and lower surfaces of the outsole in the shank and adapted to engage the said stiffener member and maintain the shank of the outsole in longitudinal conformation with the stiffening member.

16. As an article of manufacture, a vulcanized rubber outsole having a shank stiffa turn ener engaging member vulcanized inthe sole with a portion portion projecting above the upper surface of the sole centrally of the shank and adapted to be attached to a longitudinally curved shank stiffening member midway between its ends for maintaining the shank of the solo in longitudinal conformation with the stiffening member.

17. As an article of manufacture, amolded and vulcanized rubber sole for turn shoes along its upper marginal surface and having vulcanized in its shank portion means additional to the rubber adapted to retain a longitudiimlly curved. shank stiffening member in place for. it to maintain the shank portion of the sole in longitudinal conformation therewith.

1.8. As an article of manufacture, a molded and vulcanized rubber sole provided with a stitch receiving element along its upper marginal surface and having shank stiffener retaining means additional to the rubber incorporated in the shank portion of the sole so as not to appear on the outer tread surface of the sole and so located as to maintain the shank portion of the sole in conformation with a longitudinally curved shank stiffening member throughout its length.

19. As an article of manufacture, a molded and vulcanized rubber sole for turn shoes provided with a stitch receiving element along its upper marginal surface and having vulcanized in its shank portion a shank stiffener holding means which is adapted to permit freedom in turning the shoe and to receive and retain a shank stiffener after the shoe has been turned right side out.

20. That improvement in methods 'of making turn shoes with molded and vulcanized rubber soles in which the shank portion is stiffened which consists in moldin along the marginal upper surface of a fiexi le rubber sole a sewing rib to which to attach the 'upper, molding in the shank portion of the sole a shank stiffener receiving member which will not obstruct the turning of the shoe right side out, assembling the sole and a shoe upper inside out upon a last and sewing the upper to the sewing rib, turning the shoe right side out before incorporating 'a shank stiffener in the shoe, applying the shank stiffener to the previously prepared stiffener receiving means and thereafter relasting the shoe and performing subsequent shoemaking operations to completethe shoe.

21. That improvement in methods of making turn shoes with molded and. vulcanized rubber soles in which the shank portion is stiffened which consists in preparing a flexible rubber sole to provide a stitch receiving element along its upper marginal surface and a shank stiffener holding means which will not obstruct the shoe turning operation, assembling the flexible sole anda shoe upper inside out upon a last and sewing the upper to the stitch receiving element, withdrawing the last and turning the shoe right side out,

assembling a shank stiffener with the shank stiffener holding means, and thereafter rela-sting the shoe and performing subsequent shoemaking operations tocomplete the shoe.

9,2. As an article of manufacture, a sole for turn shoes comprising a vulcanized rubber body-portion having its upper surface molded to produce a sewing rib projecting above laterally adjacent surfaces of the sole, said rib having a broad fiat top, and'an undercut inner wall.

'23. As an article of manufacture, a sole for turn shoes comprising a'vulcanized rubber body portion having its upper surface molded'to produce a sewing rib projecting above laterally adjacent surfaces of the sole,

said rib having a substantially vertical outer 'tached to the shoe.

25, As an articleof manufacture, a sole for incorporation in a shoe, said sole having a heel portion whlch 1s narrower than the adjoining shank portion and offset in- V wardly therefrom by two shoulders, isv shorter than the heel portion of the lasted shoe to which it is to be attached and has a convex under side to fit the cavity in the top of a wood heel. I u 7 j In testimony whereof I have signed my nameto this specification.

GEORGE FERGUSON. 

